Government Agencies in Oregon Continue to Define and Limit Free Speech

Government Agencies in Oregon Continue to Define and Limit Free Speech Be Careful What You Say and How You Say It Lex Loeb Contributor Network . Free Speech in Oregon is not yet as limited as it was in Communist East Germany . Not yet, but it seems to be going in that direction. Here is what the Columbia River Gorge Commission has to say about the Guidelines for Public Comment. No penalties are mentioned but it would seem that the commission might put you on a black list for violating the code? What is happening in Oregon is that there is a pecking order of who can say what and when . It is also a mater of substance. The politics in Oregon is your typical steam roller that wants it's pre-conceived consequences. No one is supposed to get in their way. The sad thing is how most of the local "journalists" accept this state of being. Oregon is a state with a master plan and you are either with it or somewhere on the fringe that is unacceptable to hear commentary from. I guess this is normal political science? The agency that wrote the following limits to what one can say at a public meeting is a quasi federal agency but it's creation was by Oregon legislators some of whom are famous for their strange hypocrisy in obeying our own laws. By reading what the commission feels about open public commentary below you can see that the level of government is not about anything at the grass roots. This is the land of giants and people who consider themselves the new nobility. It is a shame that this has happened in Oregon. The days of American political innocence are over when the self proclaimed experts take control and start running things like the royal favored court in a monarchy. When you visit with this commission in an open meeting you will get to see that the quality and the substance of the discussions is amazingly inept and stupid most of the time and that is because the real issue is to pretend that the commission is saving something even when its directors are just trying to buy up properties and sell them to the government at ten times what they payed for them as a sort of special perk. You can go to the commission meetings and make an issue of such abuse but will be told it is not a valid topic for discussion. Welcome to the new green democracy East German style! This is information sent out in the mail about what is appropriate and inappropriate to say according to the government in the land of the first amendment: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guidelines for Public Comment Columbia River Gorge Commission *only starred items on the addenda are open for public comment. Thank you for providing public comment to the Columbia River Gorge Commission. We welcome your input. Please read the commission's guidelines to help ensure that your comments are delivered in the most effective way. BE COURTEOUS TO OTHERS. Your message is best received if it has a neutral and professional tone. Address the issues and facts that are of interest to you, not personalities. EFFECTIVE USE OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT TIME. All speakers will be offered three (3) minutes to express their thoughts. Under certain circumstances the Chair may announce a change in a meeting's time limits. (favoritism?) Planning your speaking points prior to your public comment will help ensure a clear message for the Commission to hear. (They don't have to listen?) Short, concise messages convey the main points of what you want to say. The points you are making will have the most impact if you can ensure their accuracy. (What if black is white?) Please be respectful of your time limit so others will have an opportunity to speak. SUBMITTING WRITTEN COMMENTS. If you would like your comments entered into the record , please bring a hard copy for the scribe. If you like you may email your comments to the commission prior to the meeting, or bring 15 copies to the meeting. Your written comments may contain more information and detail than your oral public comments. Thank you again for commenting on issues that are important to you. We appreciate your time and the thought you put into your comments. Columbia River Gorge Commission, PO Box 730 White Salmon, WA 98672 (it is an Oregon agency too) 509-493-3323, 509-493-2229, email: info@gorgecomission.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The last time some of us read the U.S. Constitution it did not exactly say that your right to speak in front of a government body had to have a neutral and professional tone, nor does it say you cannot have a personality when speaking? Or does it? You can contact the Columbia River Gorge Commission and let them know about what you think about your right to free speech. The contact information is above. This is not the only agency in Oregon that makes its own rules about free speech. The State legislature has rules to prevent defamation of office holders by members of the public. You might note the tone of the commission in saying they are offering people the "opportunity" to speak. Apparently it is really a great privilege if they listen to you? I am trying to be neutral and say this in a professional tone. Maybe I need to send them 15 hard copies?